Bong Joon-ho’s acclaimed monster action sci-fi The Host has finally received a new streaming update. The 2006 movie was led by Cannes-winning South Korean actor Song Kang-ho, who has been Bong’s long-time collaborator on multiple movies since 1998, including the Oscar-winning black comedy thriller Parasite.
As of Feb. 1, The Host is now available to start streaming on Max, after nearly two decades since making its theatrical debut. The film follows Song’s Gang-du, who is a clumsy single father to a rebellious teenage daughter. He works as a food stand vendor on the banks of the Han River, where a terrifying creature suddenly appears. Chaos ensues, and Gang-du’s daughter gets abducted by the creature, who drags her into the river. Gang-du, along with the rest of his family, decide to rescue her despite the odds. During its theatrical run, it became one of South Korea’s high-grossing movies at the time, with a worldwide gross of around $97 million at the box office.
1:51
Related
The True Story That Inspired Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite
Though a work of fiction, the Oscar-winning film Parasite — and its message — was inspired by a real-life incident in director Bong Joon-ho’s past.
The Host was directed by Bong, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Ha Joon-won and Baek Chul-hyun. Besides Song, the film also starred Bae Doona (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Kingdom) as Park Nam-joo, Park Hae-il (Memories of Murder) as Park Nam-il, Go Ah-sung (Snowpiercer) as Park Hyun-seo, and Lee Dong-ho as Se-joo, with the late Byun Hee-bong (Okja) as Park Hee-bong. It also featured a few American actors playing soldiers stationed in South Korea, including The Walking Dead alum Scott Wilson. The film currently has a Certified Fresh rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of Bong’s highest-rated movies.
What’s Next for Bong Joon-ho?
After five years since successfully winning three Oscar Awards for his incredible work on Parasite, Bong returns with an English-language sci-fi black comedy titled, Mickey 17. The upcoming movie will star Robert Pattinson, who will be playing a disposable clone worker. The Batman actor will also be joined by a star-studded cast consisting of Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice) as Nasha Adjaya, Steven Yeun (Minari) as Berto, Toni Collette (Hereditary) as Gwen Johansen, Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight) as Hieronymous Marshall, Holliday Grainger (Cinderella) as Gemma, and more. It is expected to arrive in U.S. theaters on March 7.
Related
20 Greatest South Korean Thrillers, Ranked
South Korea’s best thrillers, such as Parasite and Oldboy, are expertly crafted genre films that feature a heavy dose of brutality.
The film was originally scheduled for a 2024 theatrical release. However, Warner Bros. Pictures decided to change its release due to the post-production delays caused by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Following the announcement of its delay, rumors began to circulate about Bong and the studio’s disagreements with the final cut of the movie. In a previous interview, Bong assured awaiting fans that “the studio respected my[his] final cut rights,” which was actually part of his deal.
“Of course, during the editing process, there are many opinions and many discussions that happen,” the filmmaker shared. “But this film is my cut, and I’m very happy about it. It was a long process, but it was always smooth and respectful.”
Stream The Host on Max.
Source: Max
The Host
- Release Date
-
July 27, 2006
- Runtime
-
119 Minutes
- Director
-
Bong Joon-ho
